Applying for a full licence

sqooka · 11-09-2013 6:08pm #1

I passed my driving test today, (yay!) but I'm wondering does anyone know can you just post the form and stuff to your local motor tax office or do you need to go down in person? Also, how long does it usually take? Is it okay to drive before you receive it?

cheesypuffs · 12-09-2013 6:08pm

sqooka wrote: »

I passed my driving test today, (yay!) but I'm wondering does anyone know can you just post the form and stuff to your local motor tax office or do you need to go down in person? Also, how long does it usually take? Is it okay to drive before you receive it?

Dagnammit, just came on to ask the very same question and scrolled down to find....
Nothing.
Come on folks, put us out of our misery (can't get off work to do it in person) please.
Don't think you can drive unaccompanied tho, OP

cheesypuffs · 12-09-2013 6:10pm

cheesypuffs wrote: »

Dagnammit, just came on to ask the very same question and scrolled down to find....
Nothing.
Come on folks, put us out of our misery (can't get off work to do it in person) please.
Don't think you can drive unaccompanied tho, OP

It can be posted I know, just how long does it take?

Mars Bar · 12-09-2013 6:11pm

cheesypuffs wrote: »

Dagnammit, just came on to ask the very same question and scrolled down to find....
Nothing.
Come on folks, put us out of our misery (can't get off work to do it in person) please.
Don't think you can drive unaccompanied tho, OP

I'm almost sure you can as you'll have your cert.

cheesypuffs wrote: »

It can be posted I know, just how long does it take?

Weeks.

cheesypuffs · 12-09-2013 6:35pm

Mars Bar wrote: »

I'm almost sure you can as you'll have your cert.

Weeks.

Thanks, only prob is, you won't have your cert if you send it by post, and you won't have your provisional either, so no driving at all while you're waiting I guess. Think that's why most folk do it in person, cos you get a temp license..

Mars Bar · 12-09-2013 7:08pm

cheesypuffs wrote: »

Thanks, only prob is, you won't have your cert if you send it by post, and you won't have your provisional either, so no driving at all while you're waiting I guess. Think that's why most folk do it in person, cos you get a temp license..

Hm, yeah that would make sense. I can ask my instructor later as I'm going for a pre-test and get back to ya if I remember!

cheesypuffs · 12-09-2013 7:14pm

Mars Bar wrote: »

Hm, yeah that would make sense. I can ask my instructor later as I'm going for a pre-test and get back to ya if I remember!

Thankee kindly

cheesypuffs · 12-09-2013 7:18pm

Yon URL says 3-4 week wait..

http://www.dublincity.ie/roadsandtraffic/drivinglicences/Pages/DrivingLicences.aspx

Think I'll ask work if I can leave early...

Ilovelucy · 12-09-2013 8:59pm

You can post it no problem. Each of the tax offices have a different backlog. There is no such thing as a temporary license cheesypuffs.

cheesypuffs · 12-09-2013 9:12pm

Ilovelucy wrote: »

You can post it no problem. Each of the tax offices have a different backlog. There is no such thing as a temporary license cheesypuffs.

I'll admit I didn't have anything other than a vague memory of a temp license, did they not give them with the old paper license?

sqooka · 12-09-2013 9:34pm

Thanks guys, does anyone know if you go in person is it faster? I had heard before that it is technically illegal to drive while waiting as you don't have a license, but that if you show something the tax office give you to show you have actually passed while a guard could decide to charge you, you'd be exceptionally unlucky to meet one who actually would. Have that last part on good authority from a guard himself, but that is actually just what one individual said and is definitely not a guarantee. Unfortunately for me I've no choice but to risk it as I need to drive to work. God I just want my full licence SO badly, it's taken me 18 months to get this far!!

Days 298 · 12-09-2013 9:39pm

cheesypuffs wrote: »

I'll admit I didn't have anything other than a vague memory of a temp license, did they not give them with the old paper license?

They give you a receipt you can drive on. I had my full licence in hand 3 days after my test, 3 months ago.

SteM · 12-09-2013 9:45pm

Took about 4 weeks when I got mine up in the motor tax office in Dublin back in January. Took 3 weeks when my wife got hers from the same place in April.

If you go in person you a yellow receipt that you can drive with, although I was advised not to use motorways until I got my full license.

Mars Bar · 12-09-2013 10:30pm

cheesypuffs wrote: »

Thankee kindly

>.<

I forgot.

Sorry!

sqooka · 12-09-2013 11:15pm

Last question, does anyone know if you post in the application will the tax office post you out a receipt in the mean time or do you only get that if you go in person?

cheesypuffs · 13-09-2013 7:24am

Mars Bar wrote: »

>.<

I forgot.

Sorry!

No worries, did you pass your pre-test?

Mars Bar · 13-09-2013 10:23am

It turned more in to a driving lesson. The driving itself is fine, I just need to be more fluid and more consistent with my observation.

p2p2p · 13-09-2013 12:35pm

Ilovelucy wrote: »

You can post it no problem. Each of the tax offices have a different backlog. There is no such thing as a temporary license cheesypuffs.

Correct, it's only a receipt.
To answer some of the other questions the current waiting time is 2-3 weeks.

You're not supposed to drive unaccompanied OR on motorways until you have your full license in your hand but if it's in the post and you went in in person, and therefore have a receipt, just tell the guards you're getting it renewed and they're not going to say anything to you. (They might ask that you produce it within 10 days at your local cop shop and hopefully you'll have it at that stage.)

It is no longer faster in person as they don't issue licenses over the counter anymore, all arrive by post when they arrive by post.

Days 298 · 13-09-2013 12:45pm

Mars Bar wrote: »

It turned more in to a driving lesson. The driving itself is fine, I just need to be more fluid and more consistent with my observation.

Observation during the driving test has to be one of the best neck exercises ever. I've talked to a few people who told me of how they spent more time concentrating on actually looking at mirrors, blind spots and their surroundings than actually comprehending on what they saw:pac: I swear my neck is way looser and doesn't crack half as much as it did before my pretest and test

.
.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 19-09-2013 11:23pm

I passed my test yesterday and apologies if this is a really dumb question but.... do I just send the certificate of competency to the tax office? Or is there a form to fill out, like the one to get the provisional, and where do I get such a form?

Everyone else in my house has their full license but nobody seems to remember how they got it.

Ilovelucy · 20-09-2013 9:22am

You can download form D401 on rsa website then complete and return with your cert, 2 signed photos and your learner permit together with any additional documentation they require. It's on the form what exactly you need to include. Send to your local motor tax office with the fee. There are backlogs in most of the MTOs so you may have to wait for it to be returned to you.

dastardly00 · 25-09-2013 9:11am

Just a couple of questions to add to this thread (I passed my test yesterday!

):

If you post in the application form and other documents to your local motor office, how do you pay the fee? Cheque/postal order?

On the "How to apply for the new licence" on the RSA.ie website, it is stated: "The Motor Tax Offices will continue to handle all applications until September 2013." What happens after September 2013? I can't find anymore info on this.

EDIT: Found out this info....
Your driving licence fee is payable as a Bank Draft, cheque, Postal or Money Order for postal applications – made payable to ‘insert relevant county Motor Tax Office’. For applications submitted in person at our office, you may also pay by cash or by completing a Credit Card Authorisation Form.

Journeyman_1 · 25-09-2013 12:55pm

I think they were processing the applications themselves up until now (or soon) but they will no longer be doing that as it has been licensed out to a 3rd party.

miss no stars · 30-09-2013 8:18pm

Journeyman_1 wrote: »

I think they were processing the applications themselves up until now (or soon) but they will no longer be doing that as it has been licensed out to a 3rd party.

Any idea of when this will happen? If I go in tomorrow will they be accepting it? I can't find anything online about where else I should go...

Journeyman_1 · 30-09-2013 11:52pm

miss no stars wrote: »

Any idea of when this will happen? If I go in tomorrow will they be accepting it? I can't find anything online about where else I should go...

I'm pretty sure you still go through the tax office, but they send it on from there.

miss no stars · 02-10-2013 2:14pm

it's now the end of October that they're changing over. Asked in the office and they said 4-5 week wait time at the moment :eek:

Mars Bar · 02-10-2013 2:34pm

4 weeks wait at least in Galway too

dastardly00 · 02-10-2013 3:38pm

Mars Bar wrote: »

4 weeks wait at least in Galway too

yeah I applied last Friday in Galway and they told me that the license should arrive in the post in 3-4 weeks.

ciarashauna · 02-10-2013 4:50pm

I was told in tax office in Drogheda it would be six weeks wait but it came in about two weeks.

BuffyBot · 02-10-2013 10:04pm

I'd imagine they're giving "worst case scenario" times to cover themselves, which is fair enough. Better to promise little, deliver better

I'm surprised there hasn't been more uproar about the delays in general though.

moneyman · 09-10-2013 12:28am

I was told 7-8 weeks. I send mine off in the post so don't have a receipt, does that mean I can't drive until the pink license arrives?

09-10-2013 11:56am

ciarashauna wrote: »

I was told in tax office in Drogheda it would be six weeks wait but it came in about two weeks.

They told me last week that I'd be waiting about 8-10 weeks. Hopefully I'll be with you in the two weeks bracket.

ChainWhip · 09-10-2013 1:03pm

5 week wait in the Ballymun office, as of yesterday.

Applying for a full licence

Comments